View full size(Courtesy MTV)Emily McKenzie Peterson of Hayden, Alabama, looks on as her boyfriend feeds their baby, Liam, on an episode of the MTV reality series "16 and Pregnant."

A Hayden, Alabama teen at a Christian academy has gotten national attention. But it may not be the kind of attention the state wants. Or maybe it is. It depends on your point of view.

Emily McKenzie Peterson, who graduated in May from Homeland Christian Academy in Gardendale, Alabama, was featured this week on the MTV reality series "16 and Pregnant." Some might say a pregnant 16-year-old is just the type of stereotype the state doesn't need. Others may say that while it's generally considered not a good idea to be pregnant at 16, at least this girl is Christian and kept her baby instead of having an abortion.

And she's now married to her boyfriend, Daniel.

Not to mention that Peterson is said to have been a straight-A student and to have used birth control. She just didn't know that antibiotics can keep some birth control pills from working.

Here's how MTV summarized the episode featuring Peterson: "An all-American girl has to hang up her majorette baton after
getting pregnant. Moving an hour away from her boyfriend, Emily faces the
pressure of starting over in a new school and new town."

The entertainment website, Crushable, referred to Peterson's boyfriend/husband (the show traces her life, so what he is depends on what point in time you are referring to) as not "as helpful as she thought he’d be. Also, he looks like Justin Bieber’s long lost Southern cousin."

So how did Alabama come out looking on the TV show? You can judge for yourself. The entire show can be viewed online. Perhaps the one coming off looking the worst is Peterson's mother. "It really hurts not knowing I have her support," Peterson says. See video player above.

Alabama pulls even in 'Iron Bowl' of Rhodes Scholar finalists

View full size(UA Photo)Ynhi Thai: University of Alabama student who hails from Mississippi is UA's "other" finalist for a prestigious Rhodes scholarship.

Well, now comes word that actually the University of Alabama also has 2 finalists.

Ynhi Thai, a senior majoring in chemical engineering, is UA's "other" Rhodes scholar finalist. In April, she won the Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award.

The Crimson White student newspaper reports that while McElroy is competing in the Alabama, Florida and Tennessee
district, Thai, who hails from Mississippi, is in the district
that includes Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and South Carolina.

The Rhodes scholarship is an international scholarship that provides an opportunity for U.S. citizens to study at Oxford University in England. Out of about 80 national finalists, 32 are selected.

While the 2 Auburn University Rhodes finalists are athletes (swimming and gymnastics) and McElroy is a football player, it is not clear what sport Thai plays, if any. A university official could not be reached today for comment.